Mum inadvertently buys young daughter ninja star

That is what Maryborough's Rebecca Sutcliffe was left wondering when her daughter Eden Churchill, 6, opened her juice bottle, called a Surprise 5 because of its promise of a toy inside its detachable cup, to find what appeared to them to be a ninja star inside.

When Ms Sutcliffe had bought the juice bottles in the past, the toy had always been something funny or cute - but the star shaped item with serrated metal edges had her thinking of a weapon rather than a children's toy.

Ms Sutcliffe said at first she had thought the toy might be a spinning top and tried to twist it - but it cut into her fingertips with its points.

The toy in question features serrated metal edges.

She said its resemblance to a ninja star was also concerning as it may appear to be a projectile to children - especially since her daughter jokingly threw it toward her after assuming that is what the toy was.

Although instructions on the side of the bottle indicated that the toys were not suitable for children under 3 years of age, Ms Sutcliffe said she was still concerned.

Steel City Beverages, the company that imports the product, were contacted yesterday but did not provide a response by the time of going to press.

Contact was made with the Queensland Office of Fair Trading and a spokesperson said they encouraged parents who were concerned about a toy to make a complaint to their office.

"If possible, the complaint should include a sample of the product," the spokesperson said.

Ms Sutcliffe said she would send the item in to be assessed.

The spokesperson from the Office of Fair Trading said if the toy was found to be unsafe, steps would be taken with the supplier to rectify the problem.

"Depending on which mandatory safety standard requirement is failed, corrective actions might include amended safety warning labelling or the product being removed from sale and recalled," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said that toys did not require approval from a governmental agency before they were able to be sold.

"However, the onus is on suppliers to ensure products they supply comply with mandatory safety standards," the spokesperson said.